Josie Maurer is a mother of four and blogger for Yum Yucky. Yum Yucky is a place where Josie helps her audience achieve healthy-living goals with a sensible, stress-free approach that won’t leave you starved for your favorite foods. She has lost over 40 pounds throughout her weight loss journey and she shares motivation, workouts, healthy recipes, and natural health tips.

Very informative. I’m just now starting out on my weight loss journey, and have started a weight loss blog of my own. My entire family are overweight and it is a struggle dealing with them as I try to change my habits. Even harder because being around them in an environment where eating bad is easy to get away with makes me fall back. I am finding each time I go back home I end up binging.

Wow, sharing your journey has encouraged me. I have been overweight since middle school (junior high was what they called it in my day). I have been on many diets, while some worked, some didn’t. I know that I need to get my weight off to improve my health (diabetes) and just to look and feel better. I appreciate your thoughts on losing weight and I am very thankful that you include God in your journey. Thank you for your help in getting me on track. I look forward to reading more of your blog. Hope your day is blessed.
For strength training, working with a trainer for a session or two can be helpful to acquaint yourself with dumbbells and the types of exercises you can do, but you don’t even need to use extra weight. One of my favorite weight loss tips for women is to add bodyweight exercises like push-ups and lunges to your workouts; they’re super effective and you can do them anywhere. Pilates and more vigorous yoga classes are a great option, too.

About: Sanji started her blog in 2009 as a personal journey to discover what adventures life would bring her, including religion, dating, traveling and more. Fast forward 7 years later, and Sanji is married and has a child. Recently, she morphed her blog into a place to share about her weight loss journey and efforts to live healthy. Add in her long-time writing experience and willingness to get vulnerable, and you’re sure to find it’s a journey you can relate to and find inspiration.

Get enough calcium. Adults typically need around 1,000 milligrams of calcium every day to help maintain muscle and nerve function, and it's necessary for healthy bones and teeth.[21] But calcium may also help prevent the body from storing visceral fat in the abdomen. Though studies have not shown a drastic change in weight due to increased calcium intake, researchers suggest that it may have a small effect in some people. Calcium requires vitamin D to be absorbed into the body; therefore, be sure to get enough vitamin D as well.[22] Sources of calcium include:[23]
About: Aurora is a college student full of curiosity, including a nearly insatiable appetite to learn all she can about fitness and nutrition. She fell in love with exercising early on, while playing for a softball team growing up. That fueled a passion for nutrition as well, and eventually a blog dedicated to both as a way to inspire others to live healthy and lose weight. Aurora, who works in a veterinary’s office, also has a deep love for animals (which is always a bonus in our book). And yes, she includes many photos of cute puppies in her blog.
About: The mantra “everything in moderation is pretty much exactly what Bertha is all about. Her blog provides creative ways to tweak your favorite recipes to make them healthier and with lower calories. What does that mean? You can still chow down on the things you love, but do it in a better way that gets you closer to reaching weight loss goals.
Fast forward several years later, I had another baby (Winter) and came out of that pregnancy about 40-50 lbs over my end goal weight. I had always had this dream to finally hit the big “100” in weight loss. By 2013 I had begun to take some classes at the gym and count calories a little more but I in NO WAY did anything extreme. And I honestly believe that is the key to weight loss and to keeping it off. It was NO quick journey to that final number but by July 2013, I hit 120 lbs and had officially lost 100 lbs…

Fennel, peppermint, and ginger have all been shown in research studies to have calming effects on the belly. They work by enhancing digestive enzymes so your food gets moved through your system faster. And faster-moving food means a flatter tummy. In addition, peppermint reduces cramping and gas, ginger helps with nausea and inflammation, and fennel is a diuretic to help you stop retaining water.

The best way to lower your cortisol levels is by decreasing stress. While it’s easier said than done, weight loss tips like this one involve you simply taking the time to put yourself and your health first. Practicing saying “no” to events and things you know will cause you stress, carve out time to exercise, set aside some time daily — even just 5 minutes — to meditate or practice gratitude and learn to recognize when you’re feeling extra worn out and need a time out.

Thank you so much for this. I always do fine on any diet until 2 weeks before my period. I become very huNgry and want to eat eVerythig in sight and carbs are my friend during that time. All i want is carbs. Then once i get my period im fine for the next 2 weeks after that. im so sick of my period ruining my weightloss efforts so this article has been a godsend. However it seem that you are saying the opposite of what I have been thinking. I become so ravenous for carbs during the 2 weeks leading up to my period that i assumed while reading this article that i should be have more carbs d but it seems that you are saying I should have less. And the period i feel more in control, the 2 weeks after my period when i could literally adhere to any diet, thats when i should have more carbs?

Between his hilarious poetry, inspiring post-it notes, and top ten lists that make Letterman sound unoriginal, reading Jack Sh*T, Gettin' Fit can feel more like your daily dose of comedy than weight-loss advice. Of course you get that too, you're just laughing so hard you don't realize how good it is for you. Check out his post When Harry Met Salad to see what I mean.
i am 39 years old and have a good 35 lbs to lose. like you i ate whatever i wanted as a teen and stayed very thin (and i did literally no exercise) but then i hit 21 or so and realized i needed to cut back on calories and jog as weight slowly came on. then at 28-30 i got back to my teenage weight of 114 by jogging and watching carbs, i got married at 34 and since then pounds have just crept on for both my hubby and myself… i have tried everything :/
About: Rachael’s got a unique combination of expertise. She’s an avid fitness lover, a health fanatic and a registered nurse. She also has to combat strange work hours to keep up her active lifestyle and exercise regimen, which is exactly why we picked her. When you’re among those who are trying to lose weight but have a hectic schedule, Rachael’s the blogger to turn to for advice. She knows how to fight obstacles like sleep deprivation, food cravings, boredom hunger and (of course) being “too busy” to get healthy.
I am 31 years old and have gained weight over last 10 years and currently i am 40lbs over my ideal weight (123lbs). I have been trying to lose weight but it creeps back up after one or two weeks. I have decided to go carb free finally as my brother just lost 20lbs in a month along with cross-fit boot camp. My question is that if i do one hour yoga instead of any cardio/walk/run/strength training, will it be fine or i need to include any thing else.

Another popular mainstream diet, Dr. Barry Sears's plan is considered to be one of the first in the recent wave of "anti-inflammatory" plans. It sets you up for success by calibrating your plate to be a third protein and two-thirds carbohydrates (not starchy ones like potatoes, think colorful vegetables instead) with a little bit of MUFAs, or monounsaturated fatty acids (the good-for-you kind ) in the mix.

Good news – I lost that 1 kilo again. Yeah! Without buying anything other than a library ticket go and look for info on food combining and natural hygiene. Also a 1980s book that is a way of life that worked for many is also extremely informative about what food groups are and what a food group actually is eg what proteins actually are and where to find them; how our body works in assimilating and getting rid of waste. I’ve pulled out my old copy of the book again and am having a go at the suggestion for dividing the day into 3 cycles : noon – 8 pm to eat; 8- 4 am for body to assimilate; 4-noon to get rid of waste. It depends on what you combine to eat together ie not carbs and proteins in same meal but you can have as much veg or salad with either. Not fruit – that’s for the morning and as much as you want till noon.
The winter came and several work outs happened at Truman's Rec Center. I also committed to my first half marathon in April, so the start of the new year brought many morning runs. I kept experimenting with meals and trying new ways to cook foods I loved. Some weeks were great, and others were not. I kept my head up and reminded myself the hard work was worth it. It was worth it to take care of my body, to take care of my heart, and to take care of my mind.
It is possible to do more in less time — at least when it comes to your workouts. By incorporating interval training — that means bursts of high-intensity moves — you’ll give your metabolism a huge boost, says Glenn Gaesser, Ph.D., director of the Kinesiology Program at the University of Virginia and author of The Spark. If you usually jog at a consistent pace, try adding a 30-second to one-minute sprint every five minutes, or, if you’re on a treadmill, change up the incline for one-minute intervals.
You can get results by following this program provided that you do it correctly and by the book. What many women like about this diet is the fact that is has a clear start and end points. You know from advance that you will enter a diet for 68 days. After that period you evaluate your results and decide the way forward. We did research into various forums and read the experiences of people who followed this diet and most of them did manage to lose weight and most importantly they manage to keep the weight off. Those that failed to do so did not follow the complete set of instructions but they tried a hybrid diet which at the end made them fail.
In other words? "Drinking makes you more likely to eat sh*t," Dr. Seltzer says, referring to drunk foods. At the same time, he stops short of asking patients to quit alcohol cold-turkey to lose weight. Plus, research suggests you don’t have to, as long as your intake is moderate—i.e., less than about a drink a day. "If you drink a glass of wine every night and notice you eat more afterward, eat less early to account for this," he says. "Or, if you’re drinking four glasses of wine a week, drink three instead so you’ll won’t feel such a big difference."
About: The truth is we all love a good success story — they show us what other people, real people that went through the same things we did, were able to achieve. They also give us ideas on how we can kickstart our own weight loss journey and succeed. The Weigh We Were is a one-stop shop for all those stories, real stories from other people who lost weight, plus how they did it. It’s just the place to get ideas from similar people to see what might work and what won’t.
"Protein is great for fat loss. It helps build and preserve lean muscle tissue and can increase the amount of calories you burn. It’s also a great source of energy that helps you feel fuller for longer, so you’re less tempted to snack. Good sources include chicken breast, tuna, eggs, milk and chickpeas. And if you’re finding it difficult to avoid snacks that are high in carbohydrates, try substituting them for protein shakes or bars. Remember also to opt for the lean sources of protein because some sources can be high in saturated fat."
This story was beyond relatable, it brought me to tears. I’m lying in bed as I write this. I had a miscarriage and had my D and C surgery this morning. I was on anxiety pills for a little over a year and when i found out I was pregnant with my third baby I decided to quit taking them. My OBGYN said the same thing yours did, but something inside of me urged me to quit taking them. I am at 180 pounds today. This is the heaviest i have ever been in my life. I’m turning a new page in my life. Although I have lost my baby, I’m so grateful to finally be off the antidepressants. This miscarriage was a wake up call for me. I look in the mirror and don’t even know who I am anymore. Your story has inspired me. I want to go back to being thinnish (I’m so stealing your so stealing your word “thinnish”!!). Thank you so much for sharing this.
Even though I was burning plenty of calories through exercise, I knew my eating habits were preventing me from losing weight. I wasn’t eating unhealthy foods – I stuck with salads, turkey sandwiches, and stir-fry dishes – I was just eating too much of everything. I started tracking my daily calories online. Counting calories really helped me understand my overblown portion sizes and just how many calories I was consuming.
Now, while there aren't foods that literally target burning belly fat, there ARE foods that can drive the production of certain hormones that can trigger our body to store more fat on our tummy. The two most infamous are cortisol and insulin. So, making sure to keep your processed sugar, refined flour, sodium content, and alcohol consumption low can go a long way toward helping you burn off the muffin top.

If you watch TV often, you've probably seen a commercial pop up for Jenny Craig. When you do the diet, you receive a unique weight loss plan for your specific lifestyle and have a personal consultant to check in with at least once a week. And, the meals are delicious: There are more than 100 menu items to choose from for your meals, which are five a day plus one snack of your own.

Spoon Guru nutritionist Isabel Butler (MSc, ANutr) recommends that “the best way to reduce weight and maintain the weight loss is by simply eating a balanced and healthy diet, without refusing yourself particular foods… If you do cut out foods, you need to make sure your diet is still balanced and you are getting the nutrients your body needs from other sources.”
Now, while there aren't foods that literally target burning belly fat, there ARE foods that can drive the production of certain hormones that can trigger our body to store more fat on our tummy. The two most infamous are cortisol and insulin. So, making sure to keep your processed sugar, refined flour, sodium content, and alcohol consumption low can go a long way toward helping you burn off the muffin top.
Let me start by saying, HOW INSPIRING!! I am 54 years old, turning 55 in February. I just started your Instant Pot Class. I lost 100 pounds a couple years ago, but then I got hospitalized with pneumonia and pleurisy. The strong steroids sent my sugar through the roof and damaged my pancreas, so now I have diabetes. All the new medications I’m on caused me to gain back almost 50 pounds. I have rods from my neck to my tailbone and I now have fibromyalgia and neuropathy, which makes a lot of exercises, including walking for long periods or distances, quite painful. I have found Chair Zumba classes on You Tube, which I do M, W, F, and strength exercises that I do T, R, Sa. I rest on Sundays. I too, wear my Vivofit, and find it to be an inspiration.
Because HIIT is harder on your body than steady-state cardio, you will require adequate rest to gain the most benefits, so don't feel bad for taking a day off. A good rule of thumb is to decrease the number of days you exercise as the load gets heavier. For example, HIIT using just your body weight can be done 3-5 days a week for 20-30 minute sessions.
Do the Mediterranean diet. Any diet will work at first if you consume fewer calories than you burn. This does not mean that the diet is necessarily sustainable or healthy, but you will lose weight in the short term. A plan like the Mediterranean diet may be able to help you sustain weight loss. It is based on the traditional ingredients and cooking styles of people living near the Mediterranean sea. Research has shown that people adhering to this diet have reduced risk of heart disease - plus it helps you shed pounds and look lean and trim.[15] Focus on eating the following foods (and eliminate bread, dairy, and processed foods):
I don’t quite know how to put this, but my jaw was dropped throughout the entirety of this post. Your life story outside of having a husband is nearly identical to mine!! I was a cute kid, and then I was overweight throughout my childhood, I attempted dieting in the same way (mine was carrots though, not bell pepper strips), I played volleyball and then tennis, I lost weight in college, I hated running with a passion and then started running. I’m now 23, still quite overweight and attempting to lose it. I was kind of in a rut, upset because I have gained almost all the weight that I’ve lost back. But you have given me so much hope. Thank you so so much for posting your story. I’m still a little in shock at how similar our lives are. Thanks again.
You know that recording what you consume is a good way to keep your weight in check, but Brittany Hicks, who dropped 110 pounds in college, didn't only write down what she ate—she also wrote down why she was eating it. "I realized I'd been using food to cope with stress," she says. "Just noticing that helped me do it less." Make sure you're not making these food journal mistakes so you can reap the rewards of eating and jotting, too.
Women’s challenge with weight loss also comes down to nature. Nature wants to preserve a woman’s ability to bear children. When you’re in a calorie deficit, it can interfere with your fertility, so your body fights weight loss to prevent jeopardizing your reproductive capacity. So don’t cut more than 1,000 calories a day or eat fewer than 1,200 calories daily.
I’m not a big milk chocolate fan, and I do love dark chocolate the best. I made different kind of chocolates and things for my family. My family and I eat so different, that I try to incorporates everyone’s taste buds. 🙂 Your right, moderation of anything and you can still lose weight. That took me a long time to learn that. It’s nice to know you can eat more than carrots and celery! Thank you so much Susan for the kind words!
And lastly have a light dinner, you are about to go to bed, you don’t need a big burger (seriously, have that at lunch instead!) you would benefit from a light, veggie heavy meal that will keep you full and satisfied, a goal of 300-400 calories is best at night. Plus your body processing all those good for your veggies at night will keep your metabolism up while you sleep and help reset your cravings for the next day. Eat good tonight and you’ll be more likely to eat healthier all day tomorrow.
The influence intermittent fasting has on insulin is just as impressive and possibly more important. Keeping your insulin levels low and steady is key to losing excess fat and keeping it off. Diets that are rich in processed carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice) and simple sugars (candy, cookies, and soda) have the opposite effect. They cause your insulin levels to rapidly spike and then crash every time you eat one of these foods. The net result of this phenomenon is that your body will store more of what you eat as excess body fat instead of burning it off as energy.
Losing with Polycystic ovarian syndrome has been a challenge. I haven’t been eating as clean as I should on account of money issues. Salmon and lean meats are so pricey as well as fresh produce :/ if you could help me out in a eating routine that is cheap but still works I’d appreciate it. I’ve lost ten pounds from running a lot and some weight lifting. I plan to join the national guard so I have to have my two miles down to 18 minutes. I also have to lose 30 more pounds to qualify. I’m at 170 now need to be at 140.
About: Yes, this is another one with plenty of followers, but it really is the best for one group: mom. Let’s say you are a mom. We’ll bet finding time to exercise and eat healthy seems damn near impossible, yes? Then Brooke’s blog is for you. It’s armed to the tee with quick fitness routines, easy-to-make recipes, heck, even stuff you can do with your baby. And if that’s not enough, you can also use it as a go-to resource to get the skinny on things like baby names, connecting with your loved ones and activities to do with the kiddos.
[…] Jennifer Drummond’s weight loss journey began in the summer of 2009 when she walked every day after dinner — no exceptions. She lost ten pounds in one month. “That was the push I needed,” she said. But she didn’t stop there. Drummond started controlling her portions and later she started counting calories. In 2010 she began working out to TV exercise channels. Gradually she continued to do more. […]
Rather than training hungry, drink a protein shake before you go. One scoop, or about 20 grams, is sufficient. Whey is a great choice because it's easy on the stomach, quickly absorbed, and has an enormous list of additional benefits. Numerous studies have shown that ingesting more high-quality protein leads to both increases in muscle mass and decreases in fat mass.[8]

You inspire me so very much. I have followed you for a couple of months because I love your style and we have so much in common. Pretty sure we have crossed paths when you were doing your bedding line. Today’s post hit home for me so much. I have been meaning to reach out to you seeing if we could ever work together in the future, but things have just been so crazy. I started RB in 2006 and it has been a very hard 10 years. I’m sure you know. I remember seeing you on Shark Tank. The industry is so small when you really look at it. Anyhow, I am rambling. You are so beautiful and I admire you so very much. I have had so many amazing opportunities with my business but honestly I passed them up due to my weight gain. I lost my first husband to cancer at 28 and have since been taking anti anxiety meds. Boy, did your post really hit home. I would love to hear from you! You inspire me like crazy and I know we could probably benefit one another with some designs! I would love to have my company do some work for you! Xoxo, Bridgette

Sonia is a single mom of two in her 40s. She’s also a former drinking, chain-smoking food junkie. Then she made a New Year’s resolution that stuck. She wanted to lose 50 to 60 pounds and be active at least 30 minutes a day, six days a week. She started running and hasn’t stopped since. The Healthy Foodie is full of healthy recipes that will help you on your own weight loss journey. Visit the blog.